


Through Hell and Back

by Rotten_Roses



Category: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Bay Movies), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (TV 2012), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - All Media Types
Genre: Donniexreader, F/M, Hallucinations, Happy Ending, Mutagen Bomb, Swearing, angsty, then happy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-07
Updated: 2017-11-07
Packaged: 2019-01-30 21:00:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,736
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12661323
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rotten_Roses/pseuds/Rotten_Roses
Summary: A one-shot taking place after the mutagen bomb in the 2k12 series. The reader has managed to survive the mutagen bomb but landed themselves in hot water shortly after. Will they be able to escape their captors?





	Through Hell and Back

You've been through hell and back. Not only had you narrowly escaped the mutagen bomb, but you'd been taken prisoner in some sort of fucked up zoo that showcased all of the "unnatural" mutations plus one human, you. The other mutants ranged from globs of flesh to multiple limbed with protruding bones. Their cries were ghastly and would haunt you for the rest of your life. The screaming had almost never stopped, the poor things were in so much pain. The monsters that had caught you would parade you around from stronghold to stronghold, collecting water and gas as payment for the mutants to stare at you for a couple minutes, marveling at how you'd survived. Some began calling you "the finale" and the name stuck ever since. It The majority of the stronghold's residents had never seen a human, the typical lifespan tended to cut short when you live in a post-apocalyptic wasteland desert, and this made it so all original humans were either dead or getting close to it. You were a marvel to them, a trinket from an era long gone. You were the finale to that time period.

The only reason you had survived that night, was because of him. Donnie. He knew something big was coming, it had shown up on the scanners that night and being the most inexperienced of the group, he had made you stay in his lab with the doors locked. He made sure to kiss you goodbye and tell you he loved you before he left with his brothers in the shell-raiser. When the bomb had gone off, the entire lair shook, parts of the ceiling had come down and big chunks of debris could be heard hitting the door and at some point, one had come crashing onto your head. You weren't sure how long you were out but after you were conscious again you had yelled at him, hopeful he would show up, but instead you were met with silence. You had started to panic when green ooze dripped from what was at one point the ceiling. There was no way out and you knew that was mutagen. You weren't sure what had happened, but you knew it was bad. You carefully avoided the nasty green nonsense and made your way to Donnie's invention storage. Quickly looking through you had found a laser that could slice through anything, a gas mask and some snacks. You had used the laser to cut through the debris and up onto the streets. You were met with desert, desert, and (you guessed it) more desert. The air was so toxic you could barely breathe, so you slipped on the gas mask and after taking in the emptiness around you, went back to the lab to grab more supplies and to have a mild panic attack. Once you had your shit together you had managed to rig together one of the guys old motorcycles and took off in search of other people who might need your help. After years of searching, you woefully concluded your family was dead, along with your friends. If they had faced the bomb head on, there was no hope for them. 

You were younger when they caught you, at least mid-twenties. They found you while you were asleep in a gas station that had managed to survive the bombings and constant sandstorms. You were out cold; after managing to find drinkable water and non-expired food you chowed down then passed out within a minute from sheer exhaustion. When you felt their hands grab you, you had put up a fight, but one human versus 30-something wolf mutants doesn't end well no matter how hard you fight. The only reason you had managed to escape was that the scouts for their group had discovered old alcohol and were too plastered to stop you. Before you fled you made sure to kick a few asses, as well as take some food, water, a gun, and your old bike. Now you could continue your search for the "oasis" some meerkat mutants had told you about. You thought it was only a legend, especially when they had started praying to some wacko called the "holy chalupa" but what was the harm in looking right? Not as if you had anything better to do alone in the desert. 

After kicking ass, you headed North. If this was some kind of unholy desert, then north would be cooler right? Less heat more trees, the whole shebang! Unfortunately, after being trapped in a cage for well over 15 years, you were a little rusty on the whole "apocalypse survival" crap. You had eaten through your supplies within the first week and you were running low on gas. 

"Son of a bitch," you muttered as the bike slowed to a stop. Letting out a loud groan you got off and let the thing tip over on its side with a loud bang. "It's been great having you again while I could," you rubbed the Hamato clan insignia painted onto the side of it before continuing to head north. Days passed, you were dehydrated, starving, and had no sleep since you'd escaped. If Donnie were here, he'd say these were the perfect conditions for hallucinations and heat exhaustion. In this deprived state, you passed out quickly, but after waking up, he stood there, as if waiting for you. He looked exactly the same, nothing had changed. Same chocolate brown eyes, same purple bandana, and the same gap tooth grin he always wore when he saw you.

"Y/n? Y/N! Boy am I glad to see you!" He ran forwards and enveloped you in a tight hug.

"W-wait. What? Donnie how-how are you here?" You could barely believe it was true, but there he was right in front of you!

"Come on, haven't you missed me?" Oh great, now he looked hurt. You managed to hug him back, but he felt different. You weren't sure how you just knew.

"Donnie, I don't- I don't understand?"

"What's wrong sweetheart?" He released you and sat on the ground, patting the area next to him. You obliged, not as if there was anywhere else for you to sit in this godforsaken desert.

Leaning on him you let out a tired whisper as he wrapped his arm around you, "How are you alive?"

"Same as you, I survived the bomb. I've been living out here ever since. You should come with me, we could try to fix this mess together. Donnie and (Y/n), just like old times." He began to ramble on about all the great things the two you would accomplish together. He spoke about how much he had missed holding you and loving you. You wanted to believe it, you really did but one thing was holding you back.

"Donnie, I found your carapace." He froze, "I went back to where the city was and it was there, in plain sight. Hollowed out."

"But I'm here now? So how could that have been mine?" You allowed yourself one more moment in his arms before letting out a sigh and standing. You didn't want to live in a fantasy. 

"You aren't real." The boy sighed before following your lead.

"No, but you want me to be. You wish I was here, so in your dehydrated and dying state your brain created-"

"a hallucination." You finished the sentence and what followed was silence. Looking behind you, there was nothing, he was gone. Choking back a sob, you marched onwards. You had longed for his touch for what felt like an eternity, you'd give anything to see him one last time, but you wanted the real thing, not a hallucination. But that wasn't the last time you saw him. 

The second time was a few days later. You had found part of an old house and while scavenging it, you had stumbled upon some bad food. It was definitely expired and it gave you stomach cramps something fierce. Your face was contorted in pain as you lay on the ground of the partially shaded home, you let out a strangled cry but stopped when you heard him speak.

"Do you remember what I told you when you ate that old pizza after Mikey dared you to?" Letting out a groan you turned on your side. You couldn't deal with this right now. "Really (Y/n)? I'm trying to help. What did I tell you to do?" 

You thought back to that day, Mikey had found a pizza in the sewer and dared you to eat it, he bet you couldn't eat a whole slice and boy oh boy did you prove him wrong real quick, but you paid a steep price. Donatello had come to help you. He said, "To take calming deep breaths, and to lie on my back."

He smiled and nodded, "What else?"

"I don't fucking remember Donnie! That was over thirty years ago!" You almost felt bad for snapping at him, but you were in too much pain to care.

"True, but science proved pain causes one to remember what caused it and how to relieve it." The glare you gave him must've finally gotten the message across because he let finally told you what you wanted, "You need to go throw up. It'll dehydrate you, but so will this." Struggling to stand, you walked out and behind the house and upchucked whatever gross concoction you had just downed not even an hour ago.

looking up at your hallucination you asked, "Why are you even helping me? You're not real."

He smiled softly at you, just how you remembered Donnie used to, "Because you need to survive. You need to keep going and you know If I was really here, that's what I'd want you to do. I'd want you to live." You blinked and he was gone.

Every time you thought you were in trouble, the dumb thing would reappear offering advice. You resented it- him- the hallucination. It was helpful, but it brought back painful memories of before the bomb. When life was easier and the earth was still beautiful. When the real Donnie was still alive. That last thought made you stop dwelling on the past. You had been walking since before the sun had risen, and now it was setting over the trees. You were zoned out all day! Wait a second, trees? You felt your hopes rise, was this the legendary oasis!? How had you not noticed this earlier, all around you is green! These trees are alive! A smile spread on your face until you heard his voice.

"You made it. I knew you could."

"Oh," you felt your heart drop, "this is another hallucination. Like the ones I'd see on T.V. when the cartoon character wanders the desert and thinks they see an oasis." With a sigh, you sat on the ground. You were so tired, so god damn tired of trying. 

He thought for a second before speaking, "Well, does it feel like a hallucination"

"No, but isn't that how they work? They feel real?"

"Do I feel real?"

"Not really, no."

"Do the grass and trees feel real?" 

Hastily reaching for the lowest branch and ran my hand through the overgrown grass. It felt real. It didn't have that weird sensation like when I touched the ghostly hallucination in front of me.

He grinned as he looked at the realization dawning on your face, "well there's your answer." And with that, he was gone. Tears ran hot down your face, you had actually made it! Against all odds, you were here. There are real-life trees and plants and even insects! Normal, non-mutant insects! You let out a chuckle and le your head lean against the tree behind you. The chuckle turned into an all-out laugh, and then into sobs racking your entire body. You didn't stop, not even when you heard the tree by you rattle, but when you saw something shiny gleaming in the sunlight you looked up. Was it a robot? How did it get here? You took in the sight of it, it had some kind of rabbit-like antennae with a purple band surrounding its eyes. Neither of you said a thing, just stared at each other for awhile until it finally spoke.

"(Y/n)?"

You pushed some of your hair behind your ear, how did it know your name? You replied anyway. "Yea?" The robot didn't move.

A thundering voice boomed from behind it, "Yo Donnie, what's the holdup- holy shit." A giant turtle mutant stared down at you. It wore a red bandana and was much bigger than the skinny robot. Behind him stood a scrawny old turtle with an orange bandana, and what looked to be a turtle on steroids with the bluest eyes you'd ever seen. They all just stared at you. No one moving or saying a thing.

Realization slowly dawned on you. "G-guys?" 

Mikey was the first to run up and hug you. He was laughing as he embraced you, picking you up and swinging you around. You were crying again, but now you were happy about it. Raph was the next to hug you, something you never thought would happen. When Leo approached you looked him up and down, "Jeez, I thought Donnie was supposed to be the tallest." He seemed relieved and let out a chuckle as you tried but failed to wrap your arms around him. There was only one person left, the robot.

He rubbed the back of his neck, almost as if he was shy. "Uh, hey (Y/n). Long time no see?" Looks like he's still an awkward dork. 

"This explains the empty turtle shell I found. But," you punched his arm, "it doesn't explain why you didn't come find me." His antennae flopped down and he looked distressed, for a robot he sure was full of expressions. He went to say something but you cut him off. "I forgive you, Donnie. Life is too short to be caught up on crap like that." You wrapped your arms around his neck and held him tight. His body may be different but it was the same old Donatello in there. He paused before returning the gesture. The two of you stood there, embracing each other, neither one daring to move for what felt like an eternity. When you finally pulled away from each other you peppered little kisses all over his metallic face as tears started to roll down yours. You could hear his gears speed up and his face started to feel hot under your lips. 'I've missed you, so so much. I thought I'd never see you again." 

"I missed you too." He stood and after brushing himself off, he picked you up and placed you on his shoulders. "Lets get you back to camp sweetheart. You look dehydrated and we can talk more in the morning after you've rested." Simply nodding in response you drifted off to sleep on the walk back. You felt him lower you down onto something soft but before he could leave you grabbed his arm.

"Please don't go." You could imagine the smile on his face as he lay down next to you. Surprisingly he wasn't as cold as you thought he'd be. 

You were almost asleep again when you heard him whisper, "Sorry"

"For what?"

"I just- I know this wasn't what you were expecting, the whole robot thing I mean."

"Donnie, I thought you were dead. I wasn't even expecting to see you again EVER. The only thing I'm disappointed about is I can't see the adorable expression you make when I embarrass you. The ears are cute tho, they convey a lot of emotion for what your face lacks." 

"You like it?"

'Hell yea Don, it's super cool. I'm dating a cool turtle robot ninja genius. I don't think anyone can ever top that."

He let out a low chuckle, "God I love you."

That simple string of words, that's what you'd missed the most. Your heart swelled and filled with adoration for the man you'd missed all these years. With a shaky voice you replied, "I-I love you too." He nuzzled his face to your forehead and wished you goodnight. It was the best sleep you'd had in awhile and many more nights of it would follow.


End file.
